Byzantine Art and Culture

Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)

Justinian’s monument to the Byzantine empire as God’s empire on Earth

•Burnt to the ground twice. Second time during the Nika riots of 532 AD

•Rebuilt by Justinian in 536 AD

TWO Religions Claim it as their own

• Originally built as a Christian Church

• In 1453 AD, it was turned into an Islamic Mosque.

• Has stood as the principle mosque of Istanbul for 500 years.

Now it’s a museum

Byzantine Missionaries Spread Christianity

Cyril Methodius

Cyrillic Alphabet

They invented a new alphabet for the people of Russia.

Today, the Russian language uses this alphabet, known as the Cyrillic alphabet!

A look at Byzantine Art

Mosaic

• Mosaic of Christ from the Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom), Istanbul.

Emperor Justinian and AttendantsTile Mosaic (540 – 547 AD)

Not all Byzantine Art were Mosaics

• Icons (Greek eikon) - became the center of controversy between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches.

Icons

• Often painted on wood

• Used in the home as well as in churches for worship

Controversy Surrounding Icons• Many people believed them to be idol worship.• These people became known as iconoclasts.• The Patriarch of Constantinople banned them for a time.• The Patriarch of Rome disagreed.

“NO ICONS. I mean it

this time!”

“You can’t ban icons. I’ll ban you.”

“Oh yeah?

”

“You’re excommunicated!”(I’m kicking you out

of the Church)

“YOU’RE EXCOMMUNICATED!”

Break-up of the Christian Church

In 1054 AD the Christian Church split into two parts.

Christian Church

Western Church The Roman Catholic Church

Led by the Pope, in Rome

Eastern Church The Eastern Orthodox Church

Led by the Patriarch of Constantinople.